Air agitation for can ice plants



m m r Dec. 27,1932,

W. E- ZIEBER 7 AIR AGITATION FOR CAN ICE PLANTS Filed Dec. 11, 1951 Patented Dec. 27, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM E. ZIEBER, OF YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO YORK ICE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE AIR AG-ITATION IOR CAN ICE PLANTS Application filed December 11, 1931.

This invention relates to refrigeration and particularly to what are called low pressure air agitation systems for raw water can ice plants. Low pressure systems ordinarily 6 operate at pressures between 1% and 4 pounds per square inch gauge.

In a prior application, Serial No. l9t,4:00, filed November 8, 1930, I describe and claim such a system in which the air is saturated 10 at a temperature slightly above freezing, then heated sufliciently to prevent attainment of its dew'point in its flow to the points of discharge t'rom the drop pipes. A feature of the prior application is the supply or circulation of an excess quantity of conditioned air,

beyond that discharged through the drop pipes, in order to assist in resisting temperature drop between the heater and the drop vhile not restricted in its utility to that field the present invention is peculiarly suited for incorporation in such a system and will be described as so embodied. The present invention resides in improved means for conditioning the air, and the claims ot'this application are confined to this subject matter.

One feature of novelty resides in the means for-saturating the air at the controlled temperature slightly above 32 F. The necessary refrigerative effect is secured by drawing the air from the space between the tank cover and the brine in the brine tank. This cold air is washed in a washer of any suitable type in which the retrigerative effect of the air on the wash water is balanced against the heating effect of make-up wash water which may conveniently be ordinary city water drawn from the mains. A thermostat subject to the temperature of the wash water preferably controls the supply of make-up water and thus maintains a constant temperature.

The practical embodiment is a device of extreme simplicity.

The washed air leaves the washer saturated at the temperature of the wash water. (say F.). If the distributing pipes are not subjected to lower temperatures no heating of the washed air may be necessary, but commonly the air is heated just enough to pre- Serial No. 580,418.

clude fall to its dew point as it flows through the distributing piping.

IVhere the air is circulated in excess of the demands for the drop pipes, as is preferably the case, the heater is controlled by a thermostat subject to the temperature of the air at the discharge end of the laterals or distributinlg pipes to which the drop pipes are connectec ing is secured, a condition'highly desirable for reasons of economy.

A simple embodiment for practicing the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which the single view is a somewhat diagrammatic perspective of a brine tank with the invention applied.

Inthis view the hose connections to the drop pipes are shown on only one of the laterals.

In the drawing 6 represents the usual brine tank refrigerated by any suitable means (not illustrated). Pendant in this tank are rows of ice cans 7 supported in any suitable manner. Overlying the cans is a cover structure made up of a plurality of individually removable lids 8. As usual there is an interval of several inches between the brine level and the lower faces of the lids 8, leaving an air space, refrigerated by the brine, and from which the air to be washed is drawn.

Extending along one side of the tank is the air supply header 9, from which extend a plurality of parallel lateral pipes 11, whose size is more than ample to feed all the drop pipes which may be connected. i From these laterals 11 extend flexible hose 12,. each of which is connected to a corresponding drop pipe 13, as usual. There isa drop pipe 13 and hose 12 for each can in the tank.

The laterals 11 are not provided with dead ends, but are designed to provide flow past all the connections of the hose 12. For economy. the air is passed in a closedcircuit, but the excess might obviously be discharged instead of being recirculated. The laterals 11 are thus all connected with a discharge header lt which extends along the side of the tank, opposite to supply header 9.

The supply header 9 is large enough to receive and enclose a heating element 15 of In this way the minimum requisite heattuated by pressure motor 35.

any suitable type controlled by the electrically actuated controller 16. The controller 16 controls the supply of heat from any suitable source to the element 15, and is in circuit with a switch 17 actuated by pressure motor 18 connected with a pressure generating thermostatic element 19 inserted into the discharge header 1 1. The parts 16, 17, 18, 19, represent any automatic means for controlling heater 15 in response to the temperature of air in header 14. If the temperature in header .1 1 falls below the chosen value the activity of the heater 15is increased, the regulation being such that the air will not cool to its dew point while traversing the laterals 11. It is not essential that the therm'ostat be located in the return header, but this is a convenient location, and is at least as remote from the heating element as the most distant drop pipe. 7 1

Air is delivered to the manifold 9 through pipe 21 by a blower 22 of any suitable type,

driven, for example, by an electric motor 23. The blower draws its supply of air through pipe connections 24, partly from the washer 25 and partly from back pressure valve 26 connected by pipe 27 with header 14. The

function of valve 26 is to hold suliicient back pressure on header 14 to ensure discharge of air through the drop pipes. If closed circuit operation is not desired valve 26 might, for example, discharge to atmosphere instead of discharginginto connection 23, in which case blower 22 would draw its supply exclusively from washer 25.

The washer 25 may be of any type which retains and reuses the major portion of its wash Water, but is here illustrated as a vertical cylindrical drum containing water in its lower portion and having an air inlet pipe 28 which discharges the incoming air below the water level so that it bubbles up through the water and is washed.

The pipe 28 leads from the space between the lids 8 and the surface of the brine in tank 6. The entering air is thus at or below 32 F. and tends to cool the water in washer 25. To counteract this effect and maintain uniform the temperature of the wash water, warmer water from any source, but preferably from the city mains, is supplied at a controlled rate.

The pipe 31 is the water supply and 32 represents an electrically actuated control valve interposed therein. An overflow trap 33 permits excess water to escape from washer 25 and precludes the entrance of air. The valve 32 is in circuit with switch 34 which is ac- Motor 35 is connected with a pressure generating thermostatic unit 36 submerged in the water in washer 25. The parts 32, 34, 35, 36, are typical of any automatic means for regulating the supply of waterthrough pipe 31 to maintain constant the temperature of the wash water. 7

The circuits for both thermostatic switches are indicated in diagram and are connected with a single current source, a battery 37 being shown.

. When the blower. 22 is operating air is drawn through pipe 28 and is washed with water maintained slightly above 32 F. A

valves may be substituted and the automatic controls may be changed or even eliminated if conditions are sufiiciently stable for manual settings.

What is claimed is,-

1. The method ofconditioning air for use in the drop pipes of can ice plants, which consists in cooling air to approximately, freezing temperature, washing such air with Water at a temperature slightly above freezing; and

maintaining the temperature of such: water, a

by regulating the supply of Warmer make-up water to the washer." V

2. The method of conditioning air for use in the drop pipes of can ice plants, whichconsists in cooling air to approximately freezing temperature, washing such air with water at a temperature slightly above freezing; maintaining the temperature of such water, by regulating the supply of warmer make-up water to the washer; and heating the washed air sufficiently to prevent attainment of;its

dew point in its flow to the drop pipes. 3. The method of conditioning air for use in the drop pipes of can ice plants, which consists in cooling air. to approximately freezing temperature, washing such air with water at a temperature slightly above freezing; maintaining the temperature of such water, by regulating the supply of warmer make-up water to the washer; heating the washed air sufiicien'tly-to prevent attainment of its dew point in its flow to the drop pipes; andregulating such heating in accordance with the temperature of the air at a point in its flow at least as remote as the most P p 4. The method of conditioning air for use inthe drop pipes of can ice plants including a. refrigerated brine tank, which consists in drawing cold air from close above the brine in the tank; washing such air with water at a temerature slightly above freezing, and maintaining the temperature of the wash water by regulating the supply of warmer make-up water to the washer.

distant drop 5. The method of conditioning air for use in the drop pipes of can ice plants including a refrigerated brine tank, which consists in drawing cold air from close above the brine in the tank; washing such air with water at a temperature slightly above freezing, maintainin the temperature of the wash water by regulating the supply of warmer make-up water to the washer, and heating the washed air suiliciently to prevent the attainment of its dew point during flow to the drop pipes.

6. The method of conditioning air for use in the drop pipes of can ice plants including a refrigerated brine tank, which consists in drawing cold air from close above the brine in the tank; washing such air with water at a. temperature slightly above freezing, maintaining the temperature of the wash water by regulating the supply of warmer make-up water to the washer, and regulating such heating in accordance with the temperature of the air at a. point in its flow at least as remote as the most distant drop pipe.

7. Apparatus for conditioning air for the drop pipes of can ice plants comprising in combination a washer adapted to retain abody of wash water and having an overflow for excess water; connections for feeding to said washer air refrigerated by said ice plant and for causing said air to pass in contact with said wash water; means for forcing air through said connections; and means for supplying make-up water warmer than said refrigerated air to said wash water.

8. Apparatus for conditioning air for the drop pipes of can ice plants comprising in combination a washer adapted to retain a body of wash water and having an overflow for excess water; connections for feeding to said washer air refrigerated by said ice plant and for causing said air to pass in contact with said wash water; means for forcing air through said connections; means for supplying make-up water warmer than said refrigerated air to said wash water; and thermostatic means subject to the temperature of said wash water and controlling the rate of inflow of said make-up water.

9. The combination of a can ice plant having drop pipes and a brine tank; a washer adapted to retain a body of wash water and having an overflow for excess water; an air conduit from a space adjacent the brine in said ice plant to said washer; a connection from the washer to and beyond said drop pipes; a heater between the washer and the drop pipes; thermostatic means controlling said heater and subject to the temperature of said washed air at a point at least as remote as the most distant drop pipe a pump for propelling the air through the washer; and means for supplying to the washer make-up water warmer than the entering air.

10. The combination of a can ice plant hav ing drop pipes and a brine tank; a washer adapted to retain a body of wash water and having an overflow for excess water; an air conduit from a space adjacent the brine in said ice plant to said washer; a connection from the washer to and beyond said drop pipes; a heater between the washer and the drop pipes; thermostatic means controlling said heater and subject to the temperature of said washed air at a point at least as remote as the most distant drop pipe; a pump for propelling the air through the washer; means for supplying to the washer make-up water warmer than the entering air; and thermostatic means subject to the temperature of said wash water and controlling the rate of inflow of said make-up water.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM E. ZIEBER. 

